Top bar attachment device for frameless window screens



March 1954 D. J. RUST ET AL TOP BAR ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR FRAMELESS WINDOW SCREENS Filed July 21, 1952 INVENTORS DAV/D JORDAN RUST BY/A CK H. VJENJEN WWW ATTY Z5".

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 roe .BAEATTAGHMENT DEVICE FOR FBAMELESS WINDOW SCREENS David Jordan Rust and Jack Ell.v Jensen, San Leandro, Calif assignors to Ry-Lock-Gcmpany, Ltd San Leandra, CaIiL, a-corpnration otsCalifornia.

Application July 21, 1952', SIeriaINO. 300,060

lar to, and it is a major object to provide, an improved top bar attachment device for use in a frameless window screen characterized as above.

Another object of theiinstant invention is to provide a 'top bar attachment device which permitsof ready securing of the top bar to the header of a window frame; yet allows such top bar- 'and' the screen to be easily manually detached for cleaning, repair, "replacement, or winter storage.

An additional object of this invention is to provide atop bar attachment devicewhich is secured to such in novel- 'manner and so that separation oftheparts cannot occur by reason of the relatively great tension to which the screen is subjected wheninuse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a top bar attachment device which includes a fixed plate and a slide; the latter being secured guided relation on the fixed plate-for limited longitudinal sliding motion-by a novel structural arrangement.

Itis also an object of the invention to provide a top bar attachment device designed for ease and economy of manufacture and installation; the device, other than a headed screw and a rivet, embodying only "two parts, both of the latter being capable of mass production, from sheet metal, by means of simplified stamping and die units. Still another object is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable top barattachment device for frameless'windowscreens, and one-which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as; will fully appear bya perusal of the following "specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 i's-an'end elevation of one of the devices as'tln use.

Fig. 2 a transverse sectional elevation of theisame.

Fig. '3 is a bottom plan vi'ew'of one of the devices as in use, with the slide retracted to-permit of engagement of the screw in; or to remove it from, the notch assembly.

Fig; 4" is a similar view, but shows the slide advanced whereby to lock the device on the screw.

Fig. '5 is a perspective exploded view of the device showing the parts immediately prior to their assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, lit-1911 1111161- al iindicates-generally -a framel-ess or'tension type window screen, which screen is'fi-tted a top cross bar 2-. Such top bar '2 has a full width, upstanding attachment flange 3 which lies in abutment against the front of the horizontal blind stop 4 included in the header 5=of a window frame, indicated-generally at 8.

The upstandingila-nge 3 of the top crossbar 2 is supported, and held in engagement withthe blind stop 4, by two-or more transversely spaced top bar attachment devices secured tothe blind stop 4 from the under side; one of said devices being indicated generally at T.

Each of the 'topbar attachment devices 1 comprises an elongated rectangular flat top plate 8 adapted to abut against the blind stop 4- from below.

At its forward edge, and intermediate itsends, the top plate 8 is formed with an integral, upstanding attachment ear 9' which has a slight forward offset relative to said edge.

The attachment ear 9 passes through a slot It in flange and thence upstands' in face-twface abutment with such flange; the flange '3 and ear 9 being fixedly secured together by a rivet H which passes through matching holes in the parts. The hole in the ear '9' is indicated at l2. 1

An elongated rectangular slide t3- engages against the top plate 5 on the under side otthe latter; such slide being supported an guidedfor limited longitudinal sliding motion by the following structural arrangement:

A finger tabl4 depends in integral relation from the rear edge of the top plate '8- at one end portion thereof, and a finger I5 isstruck from such tab i l and bent inwardly, projecting tcward the top cross bar 2 in adjacent but spaced relation to the top plate 8. The finger 15 thus lies beneath and supports the slide t3, eiicctive- 1y maintaining it against downward displace ment at the related end, but without restricting, longitudinal sliding motion. A

At the oppositeend of the top plate 8--the of the slide, but permits the latter to move longitudinally, yet with limitation of such movement to a predetermined extent.

At the end adjacent the tongue 16 the slide i3 is formed with a downturned finger tab l8 to H facilitate manipulation of such slide.

The top plate 8 and the slide [3 are initially,

assembled by first disposing the parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 5, wherein said slide is at right angles to the cross plate, with the tongue 16 in alinement with slot ll. Thereafter, the tongue I6 is projected downwardly through said slot l1, and the slide 13 is thence turned 90 until it lies parallel to and below the top plate 8 supported by the finger i5. With the parts in this position, the ear 9 is then attached to the flange 3 in the manner previously described; thus confining the slide 13 between the tab l4 and top cross bar 2. The width of the slide I3 is such that when it is so confined it cannot have any substantial lateral swinging motion, but is not restricted from longitudinal sliding motion.

The top plate 8 and slide 13 have notches l9 and 20, respectively, formed therein intermediate their ends; the notch i9 being straight transversely of the plate 8 and opening to the rear edge thereof in clearance relation to the finger tab I4.

The notch 20 in the slide i3 is L-shaped or of L-shaped or bayonet type, and opens to the rear edge of the slide [3 intermediate its end.

With the illustrated arrangement, the inner portions of both notches i9 and 20 always remain in register, whether the slide be retracted, as in Fig. 3, or advanced, as in Fig. 4. When the slide I3 is retracted, as in Fig. 3, the outer portions of the notches l9 and 20 likewise register to permit of the engagement of each device 1 on a headed screw 2| which is threaded into, and depends a short distance below, the blind stop 4. The finger tab I4 is used to manipulate each device I to so engage the same on the related headed screw 2!.

After the screw 2| is engaged in the registering inner portions of the notches id and 20, and at which time the flange 3 is in face-to-face abutment with the blind stop 4, the slide 13 is shifted from its retracted position of Fig. 3 to the advanced position of Fig. 4. In such advanced position of the slide, the notch 20-by reason of its bayonet type-closes with respect to the notch l9, thereby efiectively preventing relative escape of the screw 2| from the device.

Shifting of the slide E3 to and fro-i. e. between its retracted and advanced positions-is facilitated by the provision of the down-turned finger tab l8 disposed for ready manual access.

With the described top bar attachment device, a frameless or tension type window screen can be readily and conveniently attached to, or detached from, the blind stop 4 of a window frame header this being accomplished simply by appropriate manipulation of the slide 13 whereby to lock the screw 21 in, or to release it from, the notch assembly.

From the foregoing description it will be readi- 4 1y seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as dov not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A top cross barattachment device, for a frameless window screen having a top bar engaging the front of the horizontal blind stop of a window frame header; comprising a horizontal top plate extending lengthwise of the top bar in abutment with the blind stop from below, means securing the top plate to the top bar, a horizontal slide engaging the top plate from below, means to support the slide from the top plate for limited guided horizontal sliding motion parallel to said top plate, the top plate and slide having notches therein open to their rear edges, inner portions of said notches being in register at all times, and a headed screw extending through said registering inner portions of the notches into the blind stop; the inner portion of the notch in the slide being elongated lengthwise of the slide to facilitate said motion thereof, and the outer portions of said notches registering only in a predetermined position of the slide.

2. A top cross bar attachment device, for a frameless window screen having a top bar engaging the front of the horizontal blind stop of a window frame header; comprising a horizontal top plate extending lengthwise of the top bar in abutment with the blind stop from below, the top bar having a slot therethrough in front of the top plate, a forwardly offset upstanding attachment ear on the front edge of the top plate, said ear extending through the slot in the top bar and thence abutting the front face of the latter, means securing the ear to said top bar, a horizontal slide engaging the top plate from below, means to support the slide from the top plate for limited guided horizontal sliding motion parallel to said top plate, the top plate and slide having notches therein open to their rear edges, inner portions of said notches being in register at all times, and a headed screw ex tending through said registering inner portions of the notches into the blind stop; the inner portion of the notch in the slide being elongated lengthwise of the slide to facilitate said motion thereof, and the outer portions of said notches registering only in a predetermined position of the slide.

3. A top cross bar attachment device, for a frameless window screen having a top bar engaging the front of the horizontal blind stop of a window frame header; comprising a horizontal top plate extending lengthwise of the top bar in abutment with the blind stop from below, means securing the top plate to the top bar, a horizontal slide engaging the top plate from below, means to support the slide from the top plate, said, last named means providinglim ited guided horizontal sliding motion parallel to said top bar, said last named means including a longitudinal slot in the slide and an inverted T-shaped tongue projecting from said plate through the slot with the T-head below said slide, the top plate and slide having notches therein open to their rear edges, inner portions of said notches being in register at all times, and a headed screw extending through said registering inner portions of the notches into the blind stop; the inner portion of the notch in the slide being elongated lengthwise of the slide to facilitate said motion thereof, and the outer portions of said notches registering only in a predetermined position of the slide.

4. A top cross bar attachment device, as in claim 3, in which the top plate is formed with an integral finger tab depending from its rear edge; and said slide supporting means includes a finger struck from the tab and bent inwardly below the slide; the finger being spaced from said T-shaped tongue and on the opposite side of the registering portions of said notches.

5. A top cross bar attachment device, for a frameless window screen having a top bar engaging the front of the horizontal blind stop of a window frame header; comprising a horizontal top plate extending lengthwise of the top bar in abutment with the blind stop from below, means securing the top plate to the to bar, a horizontal slide engaging the top plate from below, a finger tab integral with and depending from the rear edge of one end portion of the top plate, a finger struck from said tab and inturned beneath the slide in supporting relation thereto, a longitudinal elongated slot through the opposite end portion of the slide, an inverted T-shaped tongue integral with and depending from the adjacent end of the top plate, the tongue projecting through the slot with the T-head below and supporting the slide, a finger tab depending from one end of the slide, the top plate and slide having notches therein open to their rear edges intermediate their ends, inner portions of said notches being in register at all times, and a headed screw extending through said registering inner portions of the notches into the blind stop; the inner portion of the notch in the slide being elongated lengthwise of the slide to facilitate said motion thereof, and the outer portions of said notches registering only in a predetermined position of the slide.

6. A top cross bar attachment device, as in claim 5, in which the slide is of a width, front to rear only slightly less than the distance from the first named finger tab to the top bar.

7. A top cross bar attachment device, for a frameless window screen having a top bar engaging the front of the horizontal blind stop of a window frame header; comprising a horizontal top plate extending lengthwise of the top bar in abutment with the blind stop from below, a horizontal slide engaging the top plate from below, the top bar having a slot therethrough in front of the top plate, a forwardly ofiset upstanding attachment ear on the front edge of the top plate, said ear extending through the slot in the top bar and thence abutting the front face of the latter, means securing the ear to said stop bar, a finger tab integral with and depending from the rear edge of one end portion of the top plate, a finger struck from said tab and inturned beneath the slide in supporting relation thereto, a longitudinal elongated slot through the opposite end portion of the slide, an inverted T-shaped tongue integral with and depending from the adjacent end of the top plate, the tongue projecting through the slot with the T-head below and supporting the slide, a finger tab depending from one end of the slide, the top plate and slide having notches therein open to their rear edges intermediate the ends, inner portions of said notches being in register at all times, and a headed screw extending through said registering inner portions of the notches into the blind stop; the inner portion of the notch in the slide being elongated lengthwise of the slide to facilitate said motion thereof, and the outer portions of said notches registering only in a predetermined position of the slide.

DAVID JORDAN RUST. JACK H. JENSEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,723 Anderson May 13, 1890 1,779,121 Franz Oct. 20, 1 30 2,297,091 Wells Sept. 29, 1942 2,468,683 Michal Apr. 26, 1 49 2,583,627 Burns Jan. 29, 1952 2,599,725 Rust et al June 10, 1952 

